11 Random Facts About Me:
1. Most of the time when I have to come up with these random facts, they're pretty oddball because I'm not very good at this.
2. I've always had a hard time dealing with summer heat. This summer has been particularly brutal but the days have started to cool down. We're going to have an early autumn in this part of the country.
3. I'm almost never bored because I have a list of things to do that is longer than the Sears Tower is tall. (Oh, pardon me, it's the Willis Tower now.)
4. I've never read the Harry Potter series.
5. Laundry is my favorite household chore.
6. Dishes and floor washing are my least favorite household chores.
7. If I'm having a problem in my writing, nine times out of ten taking a shower or a walk will help me fix it.
8. I haven't decided yet whether I'm going to do NaNoWriMo this year.
9. I enjoy walking out to the mailbox to check the mail.
10. Though I do not like spiders, I am not arachnophobic.
11. I can't tolerate snakes. Any kind of snakes. If you want to stay on my good side, don't bring snakes around me.

2. Can you play any instruments?
No. Eventually though, I plan on learning piano.

3. How many books have you read this month?
Counting beta books, ten or twelve so far.

4. Polka dots or stripes?
Polka dots.

5. Do you like bikes?
I love them.

6. What is your favorite country (Outside of the U.S.)?
South Korea, always and forever.

7. Do you like tape or glue better? :)
Tape. I don't like glue because it's too easy to get it on my fingers.

8. What do you like best? Swimming or hiking?
Hiking. I don't swim much.

9. If you could choose any career what would it be?
An English teacher in South Korea and a writer and translator on the side.

10. What is your favorite genre to read or write in?
Fantasy and historical fiction to read in, fantasy/pseudo-fantasy/historical fantasy to write in.

11. How many animals do you want? (If you want any, lol).
I'm content with my horse and a cat. We have a dozen-odd cats running around right now, including several kittens so I'm satisfied where I am with animals right now.

I nominate:
Any of you reading this who feel like answering the questions. :)

My 11 questions for the bloggers I nominated: (I'm just going to pass along Keturah's questions.)
1. What is your middle name?
2. Can you play any instruments?
3. How many books have you read this month?
4. Polka dots or stripes?
5. Do you like bikes?
6. What is your favorite country ( Outside of the U.S. ).
7. Do you like tape or glue better? :)
8. What do you like best? Swimming or hiking?
9. If you could choose any career what would it be?
10. What is your favorite genre to read or write in?
11. How many animals do you want? ( If you want any, lol ).

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Obviously the weekly updates I was trying for lagged for a few weeks, but I'm back with one today. The title is because our valley has been filled with smoke being blown in from the wildfires a few hundred miles away.

A third woman joined the two speakers. “Good evening Lady Leyli, Lady Arwa. You look worried. I trust your offspring are not the objects of that worry?” “Unfortunately, they are,” Leyli’s frown deepened and she called the newcomer’s attention to the mass of people at the back of the room. “The sirins are at it again, are they?” Naziha smiled. “I was telling Arwa that no one should have that much power in solely their voice,” Leyli absent-mindedly waved her fan in front of her face. “They’re young, don’t forget,” Naziha tried to reassure the other two women. “That’s what worries me,” Arwa argued. “Zahira is younger than Faris and Fahd is near the same age. Yet they wield a power few others do. It’s bound to ruin them.” “And if you do not see it yet, notice how Satha is quieter than usual lately,” Leyli added. Naziha knew that Satha’s languor had less to do with her daughter’s sirin power and more to do with what her daughter had been doing lately, but she was not going to tell these women that.

{read}

Our Admirable Betty - Jeffery Farnol

Re-read My Lady Caprice - Jefferey Farnol

Re-read a large chunk of Return of the King - J. R. R. Tolkien

{book quote of the week}

Suddenly Faramir stirred, and he opened his eyes, and he looked on Aragorn who bent over him; and a light of knowledge and love was kindled in his eyes, and he spoke softly, "My lord, you called me. I come. What does the king command?"

"Walk no more in the shadows, but awake!" said Aragorn.

{listened}

Kpop. As usual.
Kdrama soundtracks.
LOTR soundtracks.

{song of the week}

{watched}

Finished You're Beautiful - with Mom and Butterfly

Yae no Sakura - a Japanese drama that takes place in the late-Edo era

Finished The Time I Loved You - a Korean rom-com

{drama quote of the week}

Even so, the moon has its uses. Rather than pointlessly brightening up an already bright day, it gives light on a dark night. Isn't that useful?

~ Go Mi Nam, You're Beautiful

{learned}

Smoke-filled air profoundly irritates sinuses, particularly if one has a sinus infection at the time.

{anticipated}

My weekend drama dates with friends.

The weather being cool enough in a few weeks for me to start working with my horse again.

{wished}

That I lived closer to certain friends.

That my area of the country would be drenched in rain to halt the spread of the wildfires currently raging.

{loved}

Early morning walks by myself where I can mentally prepare myself for the upcoming day and enjoy a few minutes of coolness before the day starts to warm up.

Monday, August 17, 2015

“Makes you feel almost guilty, doesn’t it?” Zahira questioned, sitting down next to Fahd and speaking in an undertone. “What?” “Us deriving such immense personal pleasure out of doing something necessary; because of the nature of our power.” He tilted his head, causing her to narrow her eyes against the pull of his personality. “I can’t say that it troubles me overmuch.” She narrowed her eyes further. He grinned, a slow, lazy, curving of his lips. “You knew I would say that.” Her look carried amusement, mild annoyance and reproof. “I infer th...” Fahd broke off at the entrance of the butler to announce that dinner was served. He stood and offered Zahira his arm to escort her to the table. Following Alim and Satha down the hall to the dining room, he bent his head just low enough so she could hear his low whisper, “We could continue this conversation in a more private setting after dinner, Sirin,” the deep voice caressed her senses. She pinched his arm where her hand rested on it. He straightened and smirked, eyes laughing into hers. She glared, fighting the twitch at the corner of her mouth that threatened to betray her own smile at the game they played. After the traditional meal blessing, and the food had been served, Satha cocked her head at her daughter and Fahd across the table. “I believe you have something you wish to say to us, do you not, Lady Satha?” Fahd questioned respectfully. “I was wondering how old you were when you learned of your sirin voice.” “Fourteen, my lady.” “How old were you, Mother?” Zahira had forgotten. It had been a long time since Satha last spoke of her sirin voice. “Twelve.” Fahd’s eyebrows swept up in surprise, “You are a sirin, my lady?” “From where do you think I inherited it?” Zahira’s fingers brushed the side of his hand teasingly and she arched her left eyebrow, motioning for the dessert to be passed again. “I’m afraid my thoughts had not yet extended that far, Rose of my Heart,” he smirked as he handed her the plate. “Could I not persuade you to demonstrate your power, Lady Satha?” Fahd’s eyes were frankly curious. “I did not keep in practice. I have lost the ability.” “I am deeply sorry, my lady,” he dipped his head in mingled sympathy and regret. “Don’t be, Lord Fahd. Although it was not intentional, I have never regretted its loss.” Zahira had heard the same words from her mother before on two occasions but they still surprised her. Fahd, hearing it for the first time, was shocked to his core and she knew he was thinking the same thing she was. How could anyone not regret having lost the sirin voice? “I will always wonder if some of the trials in my life were brought about by my use of the voice and hence, I question if they could have been averted had I not used it. It is a dangerous tool, Lord Fahd, as I have often told Zahira.” “Aye, my lady, it is,” he politely agreed. Satha stood, signaling the end of the meal. The others followed suit. Zahira took Fahd’s arm and nodded to her parents. “We’ll be on the veranda for a little while.” Alim nodded once in reply but Satha looked troubled. As they left, both heard her worried sigh and her words to her husband, “No two people should wield such power with their voices alone as those two do.” Fahd and Zahira did not speak until they were seated in adjacent chairs in the radiance of the first quarter moon. “She never misses it?” “Not that I can tell,” the young woman clasped her hands in front of her. “How could one not miss it?” Fahd tried to wrap his head around the concept. “I don’t know. I’d feel robbed. Mute.” “Mmhm. And not just the ability,” he tapped the fingers of his right hand against his chin, contemplating. “The ecstasy as well.” Zahira leaned forward, eyes intent. “That feeling that no one who is not a sirin will ever understand. The sheer rising euphoria when someone listens to your sirin voice.” “We receive more than we give,” Fahd had dropped his usual half-sneering smirk, his face pensive in the moonglow. “Which is why you feel guilty when we use our voices for something like this afternoon, ayi?” “Ayi. We’re persuading people to do some good in the world, is it right to feel such a height of ecstasy in the doing?” He had no teasing or smirking retort this time. They sat in silence for several minutes, thinking about their power, and above all, Satha’s words. “It’s not like we can change it, you know,” Fahd said at last. “Would we, if we could?” Zahira asked very softly. They turned and looked each other full in the eyes. The denial was strongly marked in each face. If given the choice, neither would change the ecstasy that was an integral part of their secondary voice. The pulsing wave of joy that swept over them when their voice poured into a listening ear. It was too marvelous a thing to each of them to ever want to change it.

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Thanks to everyone who participated in July's QQ, including my Pack-sisters who willingly joined me in taking the challenge to the next level and using a current WIP for the scene.

Rules:1. Take the
quote below and write a short scene based on it. It can be a scene for a
story you're currently writing, one you plan on writing in the future,
or you can make up characters solely for this challenge.2. Post your scene on your blog, with the banner from the top of my post and a link to my blog.3. Come back to this post and leave a link to your post in the comments so the other participants and I can read your scene.4. Have fun!